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Bethel police: Woman refused to leave elderly man’s home

BETHEL — Three months ago an elderly man saw a disheveled woman on the side of the road and offered to help her.

Last week, the man, who was not identified, called police after the woman refused to leave his home.

The woman, Stacey Bencivengo, 50, had been staying at his Turkey Plain home for months and admitted taking over the homeowners finances during that time, authorities said. But the man, who police said appeared “confused” said he never gave her permission to do anything with his money.

When police arrived last week after she refused to leave, Bencivengo gave a false name, authorities said.

Turns out, it wasn’t Bencivengo’s first brush with police.

She later admitted to using the phony alias because she has several outstanding warrants for her arrest. The warrants were for a variety of charges including failing to appear in court and violation of a protective order.

The troubles for Bencivengo apparently began five years ago, when she was arrested after reportedly stabbing her now ex-husband in the back after an argument.

She pleaded guilty to an assault charge in May 2013 and served a 10-month prison sentence, court records state.

She was arrested again, however, in September after visiting the home of her ex-husband in Brookfield and was charged with criminal trespass and assaulting a public safety officer. Those charges are still pending.

According to a brutality lawsuit Bencivengo filed against the police officers after the arrest, she was invited to her ex-husband’s home to take a boat ride that weekend, but he became agitated and asked her to leave. Bencivengo said she had already called Uber for a ride and was leaving when police arrived.

“As I walked away from the home I saw four police cars with their lights on ahead of me,” she wrote in the complaint. “When they saw me they rushed up on me and grabbed me forcefully against the car. I have bruises of the hold which indicate fingermarks.”

Bencivengo said that officers also put handcuffs on her so tightly that her hands turned “blue.” She said police had been called to the residence several times in the past, but they always took her now ex-husband’s side of the story.

“Why do they listen to his lies,” she questioned. “I am a domestic violence survivor. The police continue to harass and abuse me. This is my last chance to help myself and be heard.”

The lawsuit remains pending. Bencivengo remains in custody on a total of $37,000 in bonds.